Crystals and Truth
by CaptainBethyOTableLamp
Summary: Human Child born beneath the ground /Must be raised by whom she was found /Special Crystal with a shining glow /With powers that shall always grow /The child will more than earn her keep /Ensure Haven's secret is hidden deep.
1. Life and Death

Chapter One – Life and Death

Captain Holly Short sighed in annoyance as she badged her way past the Customs fairies, and into Surface-LE-Shuttle 2PZ7. Investigating strange noises in a shuttle wasn't exactly part of her job description. It was probably just a trapped sprite kicking up a fuss; she couldn't understand why Commander Julius Root had insisted on guiding her through this one. As if she couldn't find the cargo bay herself!

"Captain Short, can you still hear this?" Commander Root's voice echoed in Holly's LEP-issue helmet.  
"Yes, Commander. Approaching cargo bay." The screams were audible now and sent a shiver of apprehension down Holly's spine. Whatever was in the tiny hold was in pain; and it was no Fairy. "What _is_ that?" Gasped Holly.  
"We don't know. It doesn't sound Fairy. It sounds … it sounds _human!_" Foaly sounded as nervous as Holly felt.  
"_Human?_ How could a Mud Man get down here? The pressure would kill them." Snapped Root. Obviously, Foaly hadn't shared that fledgling theory with Julius yet.  
"I'm not saying it is. That's what it sounds like." Foaly replied, and Holly could tell he was frowning. "Whatever it is, it's in pain."  
"Be very careful in there Holly. Creatures in pain can be very dangerous." Cautioned Root.

In silence, Holly approached the cargo bay doors. The yells were definitely coming from here. The doors had been jammed open, which struck Holly as highly unusual. The hold was small, even for a shuttle, and almost full with crates. Holly couldn't see whatever it was that was making those awful noises.

"It must be behind that crate." Said Holly, pointing towards the largest crate in the hold. Foaly and Root watched her hesitant progress through the camera in her helmet. Slowly, holding her Neutrino blaster steady out in front, Holly chose the surprise approach and leapt to the side of the crate. Three shocked gasps resounded in the helmet as Holly, Root and Foaly stared at the blood covered floor and the hunched figure of a Mud Woman in labour.

"She's having a baby!" exclaimed Foaly. "It's a Mud Woman having a baby."  
Holly's mind reeled back to everything she'd ever learnt in Biology.  
"It's not supposed to be like that!" Fairy childbirth was radically different to human childbirth. The same parts were involved but there was no blood and no pain, as long as the fairy had remembered to complete the ritual as the date approached. Even if she hadn't, there were medical warlocks on hand.

This woman was in incredible amounts of pain. Her face, clothes, hair and hands were covered in the same blood which also drenched the floor surrounding her. Without thinking, Holly dropped to her knees at the woman's side, holstering the Neutrino. The woman looked up, staring into Holly's face with bright blue eyes grown dim with pain and exhaustion.

"Captain Holly Short?" she gasped. Holly nodded, dumbstruck. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she could hear Foaly's astonished mutterings.  
"I figured that the Mud People's childbirth was different to ours I didn't realise it was like this." He was obviously horrified by what he saw.  
"Try and heal her, Holly," barked Root. "She isn't gonna last if you don't."

Holly's hands hovered anxiously over the woman's body. It was hard to know where to direct the healing magic; after a few seconds, Holly urged the sparks from her brain and hoped they would find their own way.

"Heal," she whispered. The sparks began to play over the woman's arm, but to the Fairies amazement, the woman batted Holly and the magic away.  
"It won't hurt you," said Holly, trying to speak reassuringly despite the unreasonable fear which shook her.  
"It may hurt my daughter," the woman's voice was weak but confident. She pushed something into Holly's hand with a arm barely strong enough to lift itself. "Take that. It'll help you understand. She's too important to risk."

Holly glanced down at the thing in her hand. It was covered in blood but it was easy to see that it was The Book. She heard Root draw in a shocked gasp.  
"How did you get this?" Holly muttered. The woman didn't answer; she screamed that terrible scream and her face contorted with agony as she tried to bring her daughter into the world.  
"What do I do?" Wailed Holly to anyone who was listening. Not exactly professional, but this was way beyond her field of expertise. Problem was, it was also a completely new experience for both Root and Foaly.  
"Nothing you can do, Fairy, except obey the word of The Book." Every syllable was weaker than the last. Holly knew the woman wouldn't survive if she refused to accept help.  
Holly looked at the woman quizzically, unsure what she meant.

In a voice laden with exhaustion, the woman began to recite a prophecy so old and unlikely it had been all but forgotten.  
"Human child born beneath the ground

Must be raised by whom she was found  
Special Crystal with a shining glow  
Laden with powers which shall always grow  
The child will more than earn her keep  
Ensure Haven's secret is hidden deep."  
The three fairies barely had time to register this astounding revelation. The baby came only seconds after her mother's recital. With a shrill cry of alarm, the tiny baby girl arrived.

"Take her!" gasped the woman. "Cut the cord!". She gestured lamely to a pair of scissors by her side. She had came prepared; had been expecting this. After a confirmation from Foaly, Holly gingerly picked the screeching girl from the floor and cut the cord. "Pass her here! Quickly, I don't have much time."  
Holly passed the child to her mother and tuned back in to Foaly and Root's conversation.  
"We have to take the child, Julius. You know what The Book says."  
"What? Bring up a Mud Girl underground with the People? You can't be serious, Foaly. It goes against every rule in the book."

"No, it adheres to a rule in The Book." Holly could imagine Foaly dangling his copy of The Book in front of her Commanders face.

The woman began to talk again and Foaly and Root's argument came to an abrupt end.  
"Don't … let me down. Holly. Julius. Foaly." Holly's eyes grew wide. She had never mentioned the names of her best friend and Commander to this woman. "Please. You have been chosen. Holly, you must take her. I am too weak."  
Holly could clearly see that the woman was close to dropping the tiny baby and quickly took the child back, amazed at how small and perfect she was.  
"Call … Call her Lorna Honour. I am Honour. Tell … tell her about me … please."

The woman slumped against the cold metal and the exhausted rise and fall of her chest stopped. She was dead. A sadness washed over Holly as she watched the life slip away from the Mud Woman. She had died in horrible circumstances, and now there was another Mud Child without a mother. A small gurgle drew her gaze back down to the baby in her arms. As she stared into the child's face, Holly lost all sense of where she was. She forgot she was kneeling on a blood stained floor next to a corpse. She didn't hear Foaly and Root telling her they were on their way.

The baby was bathed from head to foot in a white glow.

Their eyes met. The baby's were a brilliant, electric blue, full of innocent trust and an intelligence that shouldn't be there. Little Lorna reached up to snatch at a few wisps of auburn hair that hung down, framing Holly's face.  
"Holly," the baby giggled. "Holly."  
Holly knew nothing of human children, but she was certain that a baby only a few minutes old should not be able to talk. The human and fairy stared at each other in wonder.

The sound of running footsteps and galloping hooves shattered the intense silence which had fallen over the grim scene. Holly looked up slowly to meet the eyes of Julius and Foaly, standing in wide-eyed horror in the doorway.  
"We have to keep her." Stated Holly. She knew they had no option; the child was quite obviously special. If the pure white glow didn't show that, and the speech wasn't anything unusual for a human, then the fact that she and her mother hadn't been crushed by the underground pressure was proof enough.

Slowly, shakily, Holly got to her feet and walked over to her Commander and best friend. All three stared at the baby.  
"Holly," repeated the baby, reaching up to tug on Holly's auburn hair again.  
"Should she be able to talk?" asked Holly, quietly. It didn't feel right to speak out loud.

"No." said Foaly. "I don't have much data on newborn humans but they don't start to talk for at least a year."  
"Why's she _glowing_?" muttered Julius, unable to look away from those mesmerising sapphire eyes.  
"I have no idea. Foaly?"

The centaur looked just as puzzled as Holly felt. "The only reason I can think of is she's … _absorbed_ some of the magic in the air. But that ought to be impossible."  
"We should get her out of here." Holly glanced back towards Honour. "What'll we do about the mother?"

With a visible jerk, Commander Julius Root snapped back to reality. "Captain Kelp can get a team together. We need to … sort out the Mud Child."  
"I don't think you can call her a Mud Child, Commander," Holly's voice was frosty. "The prophecy seems to have got one thing right – 'Little Crystal with a shining glow.' – I'm willing to bet the rest is just as true."  
Root didn't reply. He tore his gaze away and started back down the corridor.


	2. Dreams and Bonds

Crystals and Truth

Chapter Two – Dreams and Bonds

Commander Root led the way back to his office in a dumbfounded silence. He didn't seem to notice the astonished stares the group attracted as they pushed their way through the crowded corridors and into Police Plaza. Whispers followed them as the Fairies caught sight of, first the dimming white glow, and then the human form in Holly's arms.

Root was more shaken up than he let on, which was difficult. The almost hypnotic blue eyes of the baby were instantly familiar to him; he was sure he had seen them only the night before during a troubled sleep.

_Root burst through the doors, more afraid now than he had ever been before. Panic and terror coursed through his veins, dampening his senses and blunting his thought. He could see the small, fragile figure, silhouetted in the doorway of the cavernous room at the end of the corridor._

_He was running faster than he had ever ran before, but the corridor still seemed to stretch for miles out in front, as he tripped over his own feet, eyes fixed on the room ahead. She was in trouble. Was he too late to save the most important thing in his life?_

"Commander?" Holly's bewildered voice cut through Root's mind. With a start, he realised he had come to a stop in front of his office door, but hadn't bothered to open it.  
"Commander, I really think we ought to go inside." Said Holly firmly. Normally, Root wouldn't be too pleased with the Captain taking control of a situation as grave as this, but he was too disturbed to think properly. Quickly, he keyed in his passcode and led the group into the office.

Slumping down into his chair and reaching for a trademark fungus cigar, Root cast his eyes over the restless Lorna and sighed heavily. Those _eyes_. Those eyes confused him most. They held a wisdom that was unnatural and almost chilling in one so young.

_Finally, finally, he tumbled through the open doors. The room was even bigger than it had seemed through the Iris-cam Lorna wore. Lorna!_

_Her silken blonde hair hung down over her face as her knees buckled and she fell to the floor. Root froze in horror as she raised her head and spoke in a voice distorted with pain.  
"No! Daddy, don't!"  
_

_A fresh dagger of fear tore through Root's heart as her sapphire eyes met his. They were clouded with pain and exhaustion, but the fire of determination still burnt strong._

_The white glow, interspersed with blue sparks, grew in intensity and Lorna gave a scream of pain. An insane cackle sounded, reverberating around the room, filling Root with cold fury as he realised exactly who was behind this attack.  
_

"_What's he doing to you?" yelled Root, desperation clear in his voice. The glow had become so pure and so intense it obliterated everything in the room from his view, except for the dying form of Lorna.  
_

"_It has to happen, Daddy. It's the only way." She gasped, as the haze began to contract in on itself, writhing and twisting to form an enormous ball of pure power above the girls' head. "Goodbye, Daddy. Tell Papa and Mummy I love them."_

Drenched in a cold sweat, Root jerked his head up to meet the concerned gaze of Holly. She had passed the baby to Foaly and came around to his side, peering into his face as if worried.  
"Something the matter, Captain?"

"Commander, I've been trying to talk to you for ten minutes now, and you wouldn't answer. What's wrong?"  
Root sighed once more and, ignoring Holly's question, heaved himself to his feet and paced over to where Foaly stood.

He was staring into the child's face as if in a trance. Holly couldn't help but grin; although she stopped herself from laughing out loud as she realised she must have looked pretty much the same when Julius and Foaly had arrived.

"Foaly?" said Root with some concern. Foaly snapped his head up abruptly, cheeks already beginning to colour. He opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by Lorna herself.

"Foaly!" the baby echoed, chubby hands prodding the centaur's chest. "Foaly, Holly, Julius!" Lorna looked very pleased with herself as she pointed to each Fairy in turn as she said their name.

"Is anyone else starting to get a little creeped out?" asked Holly after a few minutes of stunned silence. Julius nodded dumbly, but Foaly seemed to have gotten hold of himself.

"Julius, we need to get this situation sorted out. You need to send Captain Kelp to deal with the Mud Woman and we need to decide what to do with our little genius here."

Root had already decided that it would be best not to mention the dream to either Holly or Foaly. Already, they seemed to be decidedly attached to Lorna, and may be disturbed that he had seemingly dreamt of her death. A hard knot of fear thumped in his stomach at the thought. _He would not let that happen!_

"I'll go and see Kelp now." Root said as calmly as he could, heading back towards the office doors. "You two … three … stay here and think about what we should do with her."

Holly collapsed into a chair as the Commander left the room, all strength gone from her body.  
"I'll take her," she offered. "I'm sure there's space at my house for a … a child."  
Holly didn't want to admit it, but she had made up her mind about this the moment she made eye contact with the new arrival.  
"We've all got to take some role in her life, Holly." Shrugged Foaly. "But it might be best if she stays with you. I hope we can convince the commander to be a part of this."

"And what is _this_?" asked Holly, needlessly. _This_ was their child. And that's all there was to it.


	3. Visions and Visitors

**Well, this has been a long time coming. I have to blame a combination of GCSE's, college starting, forgetfulness and, if I'm honest, laziness. I'll write more, write better and write soon,**

**Chapter Three - Visions and Visitors**

Nearly three months after the Artemis Fowl kidnapping episode, and Holly was beginning to get her head together. Lorna was certainly _not_ helping. The ten-year-old had been scarily furious when news of her adoptive mother's abduction reached her, and it was all Foaly and Root could do to keep her from storming into the Fowl Manor, holding a gun to Fowl's head and demanding the release of her mother.

Holly was worried now. Lorna was beginning to develop fairy powers, just as Foaly had said she would; but they seemed to be harming her. Lorna was undoubtedly human; already taller than her 84 year old mother; but when the girl had been a few days old, Holly had made a discovery she hadn't dared share with Julius or Foaly. A discovery which would make Lorna's life even more difficult, and might result in her being cast from the Lower Elements for good.

A small nub of bone sat squarely on her shoulder blades. A small nub of bone which shouldn't be present in a human. A small nub of bone which could either mean Lorna's acceptance into the fairy community, or the Council achieving their heart's desire, mind-wiping her and sending her back to the surface.

Grimly, Holly dragged herself back to the present. She was sitting curled up in her luxurious green sofa, which was definitely worth the two months wages it cost, talking earnestly to Foaly and awaiting the arrival of Commander Julius Root. Lorna herself was sat by the windows, peering out into the street, watching and waiting. Foaly knew something was wrong; the child had spared him only a quick smile when he entered.

"How's the Parasite coming on, then, Lorna?" Foaly called, watching her closely. She was usually so animated about her pet project.  
Lorna turned reluctantly from the window and switched her gaze to the centaur. A smile spread across her face as her luminous blue eyes met the quizzical brown ones of her first adoptive father.  
"It's going great, Papa," she told him earnestly. "I think I've got the motion down to a T and I'm working on the zoomers."

"The zoomers?" Foaly laughed. Lorna wasn't one for technical terms; preferring instead to making up nonsense words that only she could understand. The childlike innocence of this was endearing; and Foaly found himself using more and more of the language she seemed to be creating. Well, at least it prevented his designs being ripped off.  
"Yeah, to zoooooom in," Lorna was grinning happily now, elongating the "o" in zoom. "So the buggie can see where it's going. So it doesn't –"  
She trailed off, her gaze fixed back out onto the street. With an excited squeal, she jumped up from her seat and rushed to the door. "Daddy's here! Daddy's here!"

Holly raised her eyebrows at Foaly. Lorna adored Root, but had never before shown quite so much excitement at his visits. A loud commotion was heard in the hall as the now hyperactive ten-year-old threw open the door and dragged her second adoptive father into the sitting room, much to the amusement of Holly and Foaly. Lorna was jabbering away at 100 miles an hour, seemingly unaware that no-one in the room could understand a word she was saying, least of all Julius.

"Papa! Mummy!" She called from the doorway. "Daddy's here!"  
"Yeah, I got that, Lorns," smiled Holly, prising the girl away from Root and pushing her gently into a chair. "You'll do him damage if you keep on like that."  
Lorna jumped straight back up and whirled out of the room. They heard her footsteps thundering on the staircase as she charged through the small house.  
"What's got into her?" Gasped Root, sinking into the chair Lorna had so quickly vacated.  
"No idea," sighed Holly. "She's been like this all day."

There was an ominous thump from upstairs, and all three adults froze. Each tried to convince themselves that the noise was nothing, a dropped object or a heavy footstep, but something told them otherwise.  
Holly was the first to her feet. She tore towards the stairs, followed milliseconds later by a spooked Foaly and a terrified Root.

Lorna's door stood wide open, her unconscious form sprawled on the floor. Blood was leaking from a wound on her forehead, her face deathly pale. Root collapsed to his knees beside her, heart thumping, panic rising.  
"Lorna?" He gasped, brushing her blonde hair away from the wound. "Lorna, please, say something!"

But the child remained silent and motionless. Holly laid her hand on her daughter's temple  
"Heal," she whispered, feeling the magic flowing from her brain, down her arm, and into Lorna's body. Instantly, the wound healed.

But Lorna did not wake up. No colour returned to her eerily white cheeks.

_She was running. Running furiously with no idea where she was going. The breath burnt in her lungs, her legs screamed for mercy, but still she kept running. They were all in trouble. All of them. And it was her fault; he was going to hurt them because of her._

"She's breathing," said Foaly, bending down and grabbing Lorna's wrist. "And there's a strong pulse." Carefully, he picked up the form, light in his strong arms, and lowered her onto the bed.  
"Why won't she wake up?" Root's voice was hoarse.  
"Why?" Echoed Holly, who now seemed incapable of independent thought; remaining crouched on the floor beside the small patch of blood staining the cream carpet.


End file.
